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County Sligo
|image_shield = Sligococo.png |motto = Land of Heart's Desire |image_map = Island of Ireland location map Sligo.svg |area_total_km2 = 1837 |area_rank = 22nd |seat_type = County seat |seat = Sligo |blank_name_sec1 = Car plates |blank_info_sec1 = SO |population = 65393 |population_rank = 26th |population_as_of = 2011 |government_type = County Council |subdivision_type3 = Dáil Éireann |subdivision_name3 = Sligo-North Leitrim |subdivision_type4 = EU Parliament |subdivision_name4 = North-West |subdivision_type = Country |subdivision_name = Ireland |subdivision_type1 = Province |subdivision_name1 = Connacht |website = }} County Sligo ( ) is a county in Ireland. It is located in the Border Region and is also part of the province of Connacht. It is named after the town of Sligo. Sligo County Council is the local authority for the county. The population of the county is 65,393 according to the 2011 census. An archaeological recovery suggests the county may have been one of the earliest places of human settlement in Ireland.C.Michael Hogan. 2011. [http://www.eoearth.org/article/Celtic_Sea?topic=49523 Celtic Sea. Encyclopedia of Earth. Eds. P.Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC] Geography and political subdivisions seen in the background.]] Sligo is the 22nd largest of Ireland's 32 counties in area and 26th largest in terms of population. It is the fourth largest of Connacht's 5 counties in size and third largest in terms of population. The county borders County Mayo to the west, County Roscommon to the south and south-east and County Leitrim to the north-east. Towns and villages * Achonry * Aclare * Ballaghnatrillick * Ballinafad * Ballintogher * Ballymote * Ballysadare * Beltra * Bunninadden * Carney * Castlebaldwin * Cliffony * Cloonacool * Collooney * Coolaney * Culfadda * Dromore West * Drumcliff * Easky * Enniscrone * Geevagh * Grange * Gorteen * Kilglass * Keash * Monasteraden * Mullaghmore * Riverstown * Rosses Point * Skreen * Strandhill * Toorlestraun * Tubbercurry Local government and politics Sligo County Council is the governing body for the county. It is divided into five Local Electoral Areas (LEAs) Ballymote, Dromore, Sligo-Drumcliff, Sligo-Strandhill and Tubbercurry. There are 25 members elected to Sligo County Council. Sligo is part of the Sligo-North Leitrim constituency and has three representatives (TD's) in Dáil Éireann, Tony McLoughlin (FG), John Perry (FG) and Michael Colreavy (SF). It also has two representatives to Seanad Éireann, Marc MacSharry and Geraldine Feeney. History The county was formed in 1585. Its boundaries broadly reflect the contemporary Ó Conchobhair Sligigh lordship of Lower Connacht ( ). The megalithic cemetery of Carrowmore is located in County Sligo. It forms part of a huge complex of Stone Age remains connecting Carrowkeel in South Sligo to the Ox Mountains, to the Cuil Irra Peninsula, where Queen Maeve's tomb dominates the skyline from the crest of Knocknarea Mountain. Culture The poet and Nobel laureate William Butler Yeats (1865–1939) spent much of his childhood in northern Sligo and the county's landscapes (particularly the Isle of Innisfree, in Lough Gill) were the inspiration for much of his poetry. Yeats said, "the place that has really influenced my life most is Sligo." He is buried in North County Sligo, "Under Ben Bulben", in Drumcliff. Music County Sligo has a long history of traditional music. The south of the county is particularly noted with such musical luminaries as James Morrison, Michael Coleman, Paddy Killoran, Fred Finn, Peter Horan, Joe O'Dowd, Jim Donoghue, Martin Wynne, Oisín Mac Diarmada (of Téada), tin-whistle player Carmel Gunning and the band Dervish. The county has many traditional music festivals and one of the most well known is the Queen Maeve International Summer School, a traditional Irish Music summer school of music and dance which is held annually in August in Sligo Town. On the more contemporary music scene there are Westlife, Tabby Callaghan and The Conway Sisters who are from Sligo. Strandhill, about 9 km west of Sligo, hosts the Strandhill Guitar Festival http://www.strandhillguitarfestival.com each year, featuring a wide variety of guitar music and musicians. Sport The county is home to current League of Ireland Premier Division champions Sligo Rovers, who have played home matches at The Showgrounds since they were founded in 1928. Brother Walfrid the founder of Celtic Football Club was born in Ballymote. The county is represented in Gaelic Games by Sligo GAA. People *Ambrosio O'Higgins, 1st Marqués de Osorno – Spanish colonial administrator. *Brother Walfrid – founder of Celtic FC. *Chris O'Dowd – actor. *Constance Markievicz – revolutionary Irish nationalist. *George Stokes – mathematician, physicist. *Lola Montez – dancer, actress. * Michael McGloin Singer/Musician, *Marian Harkin – MEP. *Martin Savage – Irish republican. *Mary O'Hara – singer. *Neil Jordan – film director. *Ray McSharry – former Tánaiste. *Tommy Fleming – singer. *Westlife – pop band. *William Butler Yeats – poet. See also }} *List of abbeys and priories in the Republic of Ireland (County Sligo) *List of Sligo people *Sligo GAA *Sligo Rovers F.C. *High Sheriff of Sligo References External links *Collection of Sligo Landscape Photographs *Sligo County Council *Sligo Borough Council *Map of Sligo *Sligoheritage.com * *History of Sligo, County and Town By William Gregory Wood-Martin * Song, "Beautiful Sligo" sung by Michael McGloin,YouTube Video, with images. * ** ** }} Category:County Sligo Sligo Sligo Sligo